It's a pity that some names are never remembered when some articles about Metal genres are release. It's common to write about the famous, but there are some bands that aren't as great as the titans, but are important as well. And to Death Metal maniacs that still remember what the 90's were about must remember the name of the Swedish act GRAVE, due their albums "Into the Grave" (1991) and "You'll Never See..." (1992), but the band presented some changes on "Soulless" (1994). And what can a fan expect of "Hating Life", their fourth studio album? This reissue can answer such doubts.

The band was reduced to a duet, with Ola taking the vocals and bass duties. And here the band continued to expand limits of their music, going into slower and experimental path into Death Metal (even with use of some influences from Industrial and Groove Metal), but keeping its personality intact. Maybe the younger fans can't understand such thing, but after 1994, with the commercial ascension of Black Metal, Death Metal started to lose its strength, so many bands tried to experiment and expand limits to refresh things. And GRAVE hit the target and did a fine work on this one.

The band worked with Tomas Skogsberg as producer, and he shared the responsibility of the sound engineering and mixing with Fred Estby (yes, the drummer of DISMEMBER), and Peter In de Betou was brought to make the mastering. The sonority is unusually dry and defined for a Death Metal band, but it was the best for what the duet wanted for the album, keeping the aggressiveness and weight, but allowing them to express their ideas in a good way.

Of course, for Old School Death Metal maniacs "Hating Life" can be hard to be swallowed, but as long as one becomes used to it, the album will be a very good experience, especially due songs as the nasty "Worth the Wait" (very good mix between Death Metal with Groove Metal elements), the technical and heavy work shown on "Restrained" and "Winternight", the clear experimental touches on "Lovesong" and "Harvest Day". It can be said as the band was searching a way to bring SEPULTURA and PRONG influences to their music, and worked in a great way.

If you're a fan of GRAVE and never had the opportunity to get your copy of "Hating Life", here is your chance.